Windmill with multiple double-acting piston/cylinder compressor system and apparatus and method of mounting multiple windmill blades to enhance performance

ABSTRACT

A windmill compressor apparatus has multiple double acting piston/cylinders actuated by the windmill. The windmill additionally has multiple pairs of blades to enhance power output and lift.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of two of my priorapplications, namely WINDMILL WITH TWO PISTON COMPRESSOR SYSTEM, SerialNo. 60/252,772, filed Nov. 22,2000; and APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MOUNTINGMULTIPLE BLADES TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE, Serial No. 60/252,812, filedNov. 22,2000; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference as if fully set forth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to improvements in windmill compressed airsystems, and more particularly, to a multiple double actingpiston/cylinder system actuated by a windmill, which additionally hasmultiple airfoils in a stack to enhance power output and lift.

[0004] 2. Background Art

[0005] In the prior art, it was known to use windmills to compress andstore compressed air. Such a system is shown in my prior art U.S. Pat.No. 6,132,181, issued Oct. 17, 2000, which discloses windmill structuresand systems. Therein I disclose a number of ways of attaching therotating shaft of a windmill to various mechanical means andcompressors.

[0006] One of the problems that I have noted in my work with windmillsis that there may be periods when the wind is either very slow or veryfast for a sustained period of time. This can affect the usefulness ofthe windmill system in compressing and storing compressed air.

[0007] Further, in the prior art, it has been known to mount air foilsin stacks, such as the wing 5 arrangement in bi-planes and tri-planes. Ihave discovered that the performance of such arrangements may beenhanced depending on the mounting and relative positioning of the airfoils.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] I have invented a windmill compressed air system which utilizestwo double acting pistons and cylinders. These are most preferably ofdifferent volume, but have the same stroke length. They have pressurecontrol valves to provide for alternative choices depending on windavailability. The larger diameter piston is used to quickly pump up thevolume of the storage tank for the compressed air to a desired level.After that, the smaller diameter piston takes over.

[0010] The larger diameter piston cuts off at lower air speeds, so thatat least some useful work can be gained from the windmill turning anddriving the smaller diameter piston.

[0011] Further, the improved airfoil arrangement comprises airfoils incombination which provide needed structural strength while causingwindmill air flow enhancement which is greater than the sum of theindividual air flows (under the same air flow conditions).

[0012] I have invented a windmill compressor apparatus comprising:

[0013] windmill means mounted to a windmill shaft to rotate said shaftin response to air flow through said windmill means;

[0014] multiple double-acting piston/cylinder means each having a pistonoperating within a cylinder to compress air upon movement of the pistonwithin the cylinder;

[0015] each of said cylinders having a piston shaft connected to saidpiston therein; said piston shaft extending from said cylinder;

[0016] drive means connecting said piston shafts to said windmill shaftto drive said piston shafts in response to rotation of said windmillshaft; and

[0017] conduit means connected to the piston/cylinder means to permitthe flow of air into said cylinders to receive compressed air from saidcylinders.

[0018] I have further invented a windmill compressor apparatus in whichI position the multiple double-acting piston/cylinder means such thatthe cylinders are radially space from one another.

[0019] Most preferably, the cylinders are of different diameters.Pressure relief valves are disposed in discharge lines exiting saidcylinders of different diameters. The pressure relief valve for thecylinder with the largest diameter is set to be actuated at a pressurewhich is less than the pressure relief valve for the cylinder with thesmaller diameter.

[0020] The drive means comprises a crank arm attached to the windmillshaft to rotate therewith; said crank arm having a portion thereofconnected to the piston shafts to rotate said piston shafts, therebywithdrawing and inserting the shafts with respect to the cylinders tocompress air. The crank arm has a portion thereof opposite to the endwhich is connected to the piston shafts, which portion acts as acounterbalance to the pistons.

[0021] The windmill compressor apparatus as defined above may furthercomprise multiple pairs of windmill blades. The multiple pairs of bladesare attached to multiple hubs on said windmill shaft.

[0022] The blades in each pair of windmill blades are interconnectedwith braces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 is a rear view of a windmill system;

[0024]FIG. 2 is a side view of the windmill system shown in FIG. 1; and

[0025]FIG. 3 is a top view of a portion of the windmill system shown inFIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Referring to the Figures, they show a windmill system apparatuswhich comprises a windmill designated generally 10 having a plurality ofblades 12 mounted to a hubs 14 and 15 connected to a shaft 16 which isjournaled in bearings 18 mounted on a horizontal beam 20 which isrigidly connected to a vertical tube 22 and a base 24 supporting theentire structure.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, this shows a side view of a plurality of airfoils or blades 12 positioned with respect to one another. The bladesare shown as being predominantly flat, of uniform crosssection andhaving a lip at the down wind edge (as shown in my prior U.S. patentsfor air foils and windmill structures such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,181,issued Oct. 17, 2000). The blades are positioned with respect to oneanother such that the center of the central portion of one blade isspaced approximately 50% of the blade cord length from the center to thecenter of the central portion of the other blade.

[0028] I discovered that this arrangement provides for more air flowdeflected in a downward direction.

[0029]FIG. 2 shows the mounting at the ends of the blades to the hubplates 14 and 15. In this arrangement, additional braces 17 and 19 maybe provided for the purposes of stiffening.

[0030] A plurality of such blade arrangements are provided spacedradially from one another.

[0031] The outboard end of the shaft 16 is connected for rotation to acrank arm 28. One end 29 of the crank arm 28 is “T” shaped and is usedto counterbalance the stroke of the pistons in the piston/cylinders42,44. The other end 30 of the crank arm has a shaft 32 extendingtherefrom which supports bearings 34 and 36. Mounting means disposedabout these bearings support and are connected respectively to thepiston shafts 38 and 40 of the dual acting piston/cylinders 42 and 44,respectively. The other ends of the air cylinders are mounted to bepivoted on bases 46 and 48, respectively.

[0032] In operation, as the windmill rotates, it turns the shaft 16which, in turn, rotates the crank arm 28. Since the shafts 38 and 40 ofthe pistons are journaled to the shaft 32, as the crank arm rotates, itdrives the pistons in and out of their respective cylinders. One ofthese cylinders of the piston/cylinder 44 is of a greater diameter thanthe other, 42. Both of the cylinders are double acting and both have thesame stroke length on rotation of the crank arm. However, they arespaced radially so as to sequence top and bottom dead center points (byapproximately 30 degrees), thereby distributing the loading over alonger duration of rotation and reducing the maximum force needed for agiven pounds per square inch/cubic feet per minute rate.

[0033] Referring to the Figures, they show the air exchange system usingthese two piston/cylinders.

[0034] Since there are check valves at each end of the cylinders, eachcylinder is double acting in that on the withdrawal stroke of the pistonshafts 38, 40, compressed air is forced out of the upper end of thecylinders of the piston/cylinders 42, 44 in FIG. 3; and on the downstroke, compressed air is forced out of the lower end of the cylinders.There are check valves 50, 52, FIG. 2, at both ends to keep the air fromflowing back in once it has been exhausted from the cylinder. There arealso check valves 54, 56, FIG. 2, at the air intake to keep the air fromflowing out once it has been drawn into the cylinder. Down stream of theexhaust check valves, such as 50 and 52, there are adjustment reliefvalves 57, 59 which will be discussed more fully hereinafter. Also,downstream of the check valves are check valves 58; to keep air fromflowing back into the system. Downstream from that valve 58, there is ahose or piping 60 to the compressed air reservoir tank 62. The samepiping system is provided for both cylinders.

[0035] System Operation

[0036] In operation, the pressure relief valves 57, 59 are set atpredetermined pressures. For example, for the bigger diameter cylinder44; relief valve 57 might be set at 55 or 60 pounds per square inch. Forthe smaller diameter cylinder, pressure relief valve 59 might be set atapproximately 86 pounds per square inch pressure. Thus, after thepressure reaches 55 psi, the valve 57 simply exhausts its compressedair. Therefore, the windmill does not have to push against the combinedforces of the bigger and smaller piston/cylinders. Once that pressure isreached, the smaller piston/cylinder nevertheless keeps working andkeeps compressing air up to its limit of approximately 86 pounds.

[0037] The smaller cylinder is designed to work with winds ofapproximately 6 to 10 mph. Once the volume is reached in the tank 62 andthe lower pressure limit is reached, the bigger diameter cylinder dropsout of the production of compressed air, so that at least something isgained from the windmill system. Otherwise, the windmill would stallbecause it cannot drive both pistons at low speeds. Thus, thisarrangement extends the range of useful work that the windmill canperform.

[0038] Note that when no pressure is in the tank 62 and the windmillfirst starts up, both cylinders pump compressed air into the storagetank as pressure in the tank climbs to the preset pressure of the largercylinder.

What is claimed is:
 1. A windmill compressor apparatus comprising:windmill means mounted to a windmill shaft to rotate said shaft inresponse to air flow through said windmill means; multiple double-actingpiston/cylinder means each having a piston operating within a cylinderto compress air upon movement of the piston within the cylinder; each ofsaid cylinders having a piston shaft connected to said piston therein;said piston shaft extending from said cylinder; drive means connectingsaid piston shafts to said windmill shaft to drive said piston shafts inresponse to rotation of said windmill shaft; and conduit means connectedto the piston/cylinder means to permit the flow of air into saidcylinders to receive compressed air from said cylinders.
 2. The windmillcompressor apparatus of claim 1 further comprising positioning themultiple double-acting piston/cylinder means such that the cylinders areradially space from one another.
 3. A windmill compressor apparatus asset forth in claim 1 wherein said cylinders are of different diameters.4. The windmill compressor apparatus of claim 3 wherein pressure reliefvalves are disposed in discharge lines exiting said cylinders ofdifferent diameters.
 5. The windmill compressor apparatus of claim 4wherein the pressure relief valve for the cylinder with the largestdiameter is set to be actuated at a pressure which is less than thepressure relief valve for the cylinder with the smaller diameter.
 6. Thewindmill compressor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive meanscomprises a crank arm attached to the windmill shaft to rotatetherewith; said crank arm having a portion thereof connected to thepiston shafts to rotate said piston shafts, thereby withdrawing andinserting the shafts with respect to the cylinders to compress air. 7.The windmill compressor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the crank arm has aportion thereof opposite to the end which is connected to the pistonshafts, which portion acts as a counterbalance to the pistons.
 8. Thewindmill compressor apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising multiplepairs of windmill blades.
 9. The windmill compressor apparatus of claim8 wherein the multiple pairs of blades are attached to multiple hubs onsaid windmill shaft.
 10. The windmill compressor apparatus of claim 9wherein the blades in each pair of windmill blades are interconnectedwith braces.
 11. A windmill compressor apparatus comprising: windmillmeans mounted to a windmill shaft to rotate said shaft in response toair flow through said windmill means; the windmill further comprisingmultiple pairs of windmill blades.
 12. The windmill compressor apparatusof claim 11 wherein the multiple pairs of blades are attached tomultiple hubs on said windmill shaft.
 13. The windmill compressorapparatus of claim 11 wherein the blades of each pair of windmill bladesare interconnected with braces.